The war over Hagel is on

Chuck Hagel, from the BBC

The war over Chuck Hagel’s possible appointment to be Secretary of Defense has begun in earnest, but right now at the fringe: leading the attack are neoconservatives at the Weekly Standard and the Republican Jewish Coalition who surely hope to nip this idea in the bud lest a Republican who has been openly critical of Israel gets a top policy job.

In December 2005, Hagel was one of 27 Senators who refused to sign a letter to President Bush requesting the U.S. pressure the Palestinians to ban terrorist groups from participating in legislative elections…

In August 2006, Hagel was only of 12 senators who refused to sign a letter asking the EU to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization…

In October 2000, Hagel was one of only four Senators who refused to sign a letter expressing support for Israel during the second Palestinian intifada…

In July 2002, in a Washington Post op-ed, after several of the most deadly months of Palestinian suicide bombings, Hagel wrote that the U.S. was erroneously “making Yassir Arafat the issue,” that Palestinians could not be expected to make democratic reforms as long as “Israeli military occupation and settlement activity” continue, and that “Israel must take steps to show its commitment to peace.”…

In calling upon President Bush to demand an immediate ceasefire after Israel responded to a Hezbollah attack in 2006, Hagel said: “This madness must stop,” and accused Israel of “the systematic destruction of an American friend — the country and people of Lebanon.”

It doesn’t matter that Hagel is a Republican; on its twitter feed, the Republican Jewish Coalition has cited Hagel’s “fond” reflections of Iranian diplomats, retweeted an article saying that Hagel has “malignant” feelings about Israel, and has challenged the National Jewish Democratic Council to condemn Hagel, based on the 2009 statements by former NJDC leader (and Obama Jewish point man) Ira Forman that he saw Hagel as a concern for Israel supporters. RJC’s Matt Brooks calls the possible nod a slap in the face to Israel supporters:

The Jewish community and every American who supports a strong U.S.-Israel relationship have cause for alarm if the President taps Hagel for such an important post.

But Peter Beinart argues that AIPAC won’t be able to defeat Hagel if he’s nominated and that it will fold its hand and let the hard-right howl. Also at Beinart’s shop, Ali Gharib quotes one Democrat who’s supportive of Hagel:

I asked [Aaron David] Miller if he still viewed Hagel as “pro-Israel.” “I don’t think there’s a Senator of note in the Senate who is not pro-Israel,” he responded. “But there is a difference between a special relationship with Israel and an exclusive relationship with Israel. I believe in the former and Chuck Hagel believes the former.”

Miller is being approached because he reported Hagel’s view of the “Jewish lobby” in the notes to his book back in 2008. I picked that up then and wondered whether journalists would pick up on the charges:

[Hagel told Miller,] “The political reality is that… the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here.” Hagel then related a meeting he had in New York with a group of supporters of Israel who are pushing the U.S. to attack Iran. When Hagel said it hadn’t worked out that well in Iraq, a couple of members of the group said he wasn’t supportive enough of Israel. Hagel spoke firmly: “Let me clear something up here if there’s any doubt in your mind. I’m a U.S. Senator. I’m not an Israeli senator. I’m a U.S. Senator. I support Israel… But my first interest is, I take an oath to the constitution of the United States. Not to a president, not to a party, not to Israel.” Gee.

Several writers have suggested that Chuck Hagel could get the Bobby Ray Inman treatment. Admiral Inman was nominated by President Bill Clinton to be Secretary of Defense in the mid-90s but was opposed by the Israel lobby. “It was [the late] William Safire who went after him,” Peter Voskamp recalled in a note. “Then, after Inman held a press conference explaining why he pulled himself out of the running, the media gave him the Howard Dean treatment, suggesting that he showed himself to be a rambling weirdo and good riddance.”

I wrote about Inman in 2006, with Voskamp’s help. Here’s my post, in which Inman described the Iraq war as the work of pro-Israel zealots, a view that I would guess Chuck Hagel shares.

Certainly they have no moral or any other right to interfere in state matters. It is a mark of their overweening arrogance, disregard for US democracy, and overriding sense of self-imprtance that they assume the right to manipulate the US government for their own ends, none of which correspond with the interests of US citizens. That so many in power acquiesce is a testimony to their weakness in the face of moral blackmail and threats to their careers.

I always thought that Steve Rosen’s maxim about AIPAC as a ‘night flower’ was slightly incorrect. In broad swathes, it holds true, but during certain circumstances it wants to be seen.

The reason is simple: to make an example. By making such a fuss about Hagel, it wants to remind the Belyway pols who is in charge lest they cross their way. My guess is that Obama will fold even before the nomination. He doesn’t want to get humiliated yet again, in a fight he knows he can’t win. Susan Rice was always a difficult read. Hagel, on the other, does not have the blessing of the lobby – which Rice did have.

And everytime Obama has gone toe to toe with the lobby, he got butchered by them. I don’t think he wants to end up in a situation like that again.

So even if Hagel isn’t nominated, the lobby wants the noise to be there on beforehand to send a message. Of course, if Obama did indeed nominate Hagel and if Hagel against all odds would win it, it would represent a huge win for democracy. But the lobby isn’t exactly weak.

Of course they are qualified! By being persistently wrong, they proved that they are serious thinkers with a strength of convictions. It is easy to make correct predictions that this or that war would fail, simply make the same stupid anti-war bet (forgetting that we won WWII and Grenada), getting accolades from cool leftists. But to champion the doomed and ugly, that takes balls. It is also well paid, and thus provably not stupid. I bet that would it pass that Chuck will be criticized, every critic will be at least senior fellow, but more often that not president or chairman of this and that. And not some el cheapo outfits, but serious organizations with multi-million budgets.

Compare with the credentials of the author of this post. Is he at least Senior Editor or Co-Chairman of Mondoweiss Foundation? Budget we can look up in the upper right corner. I wonder if it would suffice to pay for catering at a serious dinner with policy discussions.

PS. Would Obama be foolish enough to nominate Hagel, I think that opponents would sweat blood. For starters, making a hateful figure from someone named Chuck is an uphill battle.

Sounds like a sound statesman, certainly to the extent of being willing to declare openly that representing Israel and representing the USA are (likely to be) (actually) (in principle) different things.

Iran is being appeased? With sanctions which are hurting children who need vital drugs, aeroplanes which need vital parts to avoid tragedies, which are causing chaos in their economy, affecting ordinary people and not the heirarchy?

Their is one state which is being appeased, and has been for years, and that is Israel.

His views seem eminently sensible to me which suggests that his opponents are raving loonies.
BTW, some one should start a campaign to allow unlimited immigration from Israel to the EU. After a few years, Israel as we know it (although not the Jewish people) may disappear from the pages of history.

Between New York and D.C. there are hundreds of lawyers toiling for all those Volga White Russian “German Jews” who went to Israel and those squatter settlements because Israel pressured Germany not to allow their entry into Germany in the late 90’s.

When this all goes down, they will wind up in the US. And like many Americans, they will be well armed and fit right in.

I watched one talk show where Hagel asked “Is it our plan to back them into the Jordan river?”

The way Obama floats these names out that relate to the Middle East is problematic. He should decide who his team is and make an announcement. He put off a decision on where to put George Mitchell and Dennis Ross in late 2008, and succumbed to pressure to let Ross assume a position to effectively undercut Mitchell. I see that happening again here. What purpose does it serve to float a name and let the Lobby dig in its heels, so that they’ll be even angrier if Hagel gets the job?

Why do you assume that Obama’s strategy is anything other than to continue to support everything Israel does, and to hire people to carry out the charade that he supports some sort of just settlement? Do you really think that Obama is to the left of the Lobby?

At a time when Mordechai Vanunu was exposing Israel’s nuclear weapons’ program, Obama was out on the streets protesting American nukes. Even if he has moderated considerably since his college days, considering how far-right the Lobby is, Obama, along with any American remotely sane, is to the Left of the Lobby. However, unlike other Americans, he has to raise money and support congresscritters who raise money from “the Democrats’ ATM.”

Since most Jews vote Democratic, there is no need for a Democratic Jewish Coalition. But there is the fact that “Republican versus Democrat” is a simpleton’s notion given that our Congress is above all buy-partisan.

Great lists, Sean, and great perspective on flushing them out into the open. I sense the extremism of Likud-Beiteinu provides additional room for many to clarify that their support for Israel does not extend to authoritarian and racist abuse of an occupied people, nor to dancing to the paid piper of a foreign power on such a crucial position in US government. Avigdor Lieberman’s legal problems add additional room – why dance to the paid piper of an indicted breacher of trust, and, by some reports, fraudster, and his partner apologist?.

While that list is substantive but expected going to be really interesting to watch how Debbie Wasserman/Schultz, Schumer, Feinstein, know Lieberman is leaving but he knows how to do some damage and other Israeli firsters in congress try to cut Hagel off at the knees behind the scenes.

We all need to link these post about Hagel and encourage folks to call their Reps, contact Obama’s Whouse page and let them know there are plenty of folks out here who would like to witness the Hagel nomination go forward. Let’s hope Obama sees this as an opportune way not only to promote a seriously qualified individual for the post but an individual who is a US firster. Contact your Reps and Obama let them know we are out here. Encourage others to do the same.

Actually, as far as CA Senators go, Boxer is far more AIPAC-compliant than Feinstein. Feinstein will at least respond to constituent letters about Israel. Also, she has co-sponsored some alternate-to-AIPAC legislation with Hagel.

In a recent interview with The Algemeiner, former New York Mayor and staunch backer of President Obama’s re-election, Ed Koch, strongly opposed the possible appointment of former senator Chuck Hagel as America’s next defense secretary, due to the latter’s perceived hostility towards Israel.

“I believe it would be a terrible appointment,” he said, “and so do apparently most of the Jewish leaders who have expressed themselves.”

Koch didn’t just use the “I” word to explain his motives in attacking Hagel — he used the “J” word. He’s a “liberal Zionist,” you know.

Do you notice how neoconservatives usually use names for their ops that are completely bogus, misleading, deceptive, manipulative, etc.? Most neocons couldn’t care less about American values, the American interest or their fellow Americans. For them it’s all about Israel and their narrow ethnic nationalism all the time.

assuming hagel is appointed & then confirmed by the senate, whether or not there’ll be any changes in u.s. middle east policies will depend upon the growth & strength of the justice for palestine movement

Obama has picked Hagel knowing there is going to be fury from the israeli lobby, so if he folds then the question is why did he do it in the first place?

… if he truly fights for Hagel, and wins, and gets him through the confirmation process, then is he signalling a get-tough approach with israel for his 2nd term? … and if so, then why the capitulation the past few months when it was clear he had the jewish vote in the bag already?

Exactly. Flushing out the Israeli firsters and promoting a US firster. This is such a great sign from Obama. Now if he puts up the fight. lots of us behind this…contact Obama contact your Reps. The people want Hagel as Secretary of Defense

[EXCERPTS] . . . Recently, Middle East analyst MJ Rosenberg appeared on the AlterNet Radio Hour to discuss the Tel Aviv riots, the stand-off over Iran’s nuclear program and how the Israel lobby helps narrow the discourse around Israel in the United States. Below is a lightly edited transcript of the discussion (you can listen to the whole interview here.)
[EXCERPTS]
• JOSHUA HOLLAND: From your inside perspective on that organization [AIPAC], what did you see as far as their tendency to call out criticism that they think is illegitimate or beyond the pale?• MJ ROSENBERG: They [AIPAC] consider all criticism of Israel illegitimate. It’s all beyond the pale. I suppose their definition would be if by some miracle someone like Joseph Lieberman made a statement critical of Israel it would be legitimate. When I worked there in the ’80s, back before everyone had computers, they had a big war room where all they did was assemble every bit of data on members of Congress, on candidates, but also on writers, celebrities – anyone in the public eye.
In those days they would just put them in these folders. They always had at hand all this negative information — what they considered negative information — to tar people as being anti-Israel or even anti-Semitic. That stuff would be given to reporters if something came up. They were either initiated on their own to give to reporters or some reporter called them because they had a treasure trove of information.They still operate that way. In those days they did it directly; now they have former staffers and people who are close to the organization in the blogging world and political world who do it for them. They do it so much. When you read that someone is anti-Israel they’re the ones putting it out there. They’ve got the data. . .

“…seeks to portray Chuck Hagel as an Israel-hater who would appease Iran.”

Why do I suspect that this may be little more than political theater, roughly equivalent to the Republicans calling Barack Obama a socialist? The intent seems to be to create the illusion of significant differences between the various flavors of imperial militarists, thereby permitting liberals to further deceive themselves that the appointment of Hagel would actually constitute some sort of victory rather than a continuation of imperial business as usual.

“Several writers have suggested that Chuck Hagel could get the Bobby Ray Inman treatment.”

Inman may have made some slight difference as Secretary of Defense, however, Hagel would, at best, only appear to be a restraining influence, all the better to sell imperial militarism, just as Obama is better at selling neoliberal structural adjustment than any Republican. No need to get unduly excited.

SHINGO- “David obviously wants a more suitable (pro Israeli) candidate who wouldn’t dare suggest that US and Israeli interests are different.”

What has David Green ever said or done to cause you to claim that he is a pro-Israel crypto Zionist? Is it because he, like me, rejects the idea that the empire is being run out of Tel Aviv? If your opposition to Israeli actions is based primarily upon the belief that these actions are harmful to the well being of empire, then you need to reevaluate your moral orientation. Empire’s actions and Israeli actions are both morally reprehensible and should be opposed. In fact, empire’s actions are much worse because they effect many more people and could ultimately lead to the termination of the species and most other life forms on planet Earth. And “empire” has morphed into the corporate/financial empire that is currently turning the US into a Third World country. Take a look at what has been going on for the last 20 years. Is the de-industrialization of the US and the financialization of the economy the work of “patriots?”

Against the notion of AIPAC power you have Senate collegiality, which demands that colleagues and former colleagues be treated deferentially and respectfully. Not only that, the Democrats would have a hard time opposing their President’s pick and the Republicans would have a hard time opposing a fellow Republican. Furthermore, Hagel’s defence/foreign policy views resonate with the non-insane wing of the Republican faithful and lot so Independents and Democrats. Put that against a background of war exhaustion on the part of the US population and military, the behavior the President has been subjected to by Netanyahu and growing American anger at Israeli ingratitude and I’m thinking that if Obama nominates Hagel, it could well be genius.

I have a serious question for those who think that the Iraq war was entirely (or mostly) the work of AIPAC and other Israeli zealots.
The current war is Persian Gulf War II, started in 2003.
No question that the Israel lobby was pushing for war.

Before the current war was Persian Gulf War I, started in 1991.
The President was George H. W. Bush. Nobody (or almost nobody) claims that the first war
was started by the Israel Lobby. George H. W. Bush had a frosty relationship with the Lobby.
His secretary of state, James Baker, is rumored to have said, “Oh, f*ck the Jews, they don’t vote for us anyway!”

The conclusion that I draw is this: while the Israel lobby has a lot of clout, and used that clout in bellowing for war, the first and second Persian gulf wars probably would have happened anyway, even if the Lobby was not pushing for war.

RE: “Does anyone else remember the ‘good old days’ back in the 90s when Nancy Kassebaum was the moderate Republican senator from Kansas? How times change! ! !” – me (above)

A LATE AUTUMN EVENING’S MUSICAL INTERLUDE, proudly brought to you by the makers of new Ziocaine Über-Xtreme®: It’s guaran-damn-teed to blow your effing mind!™

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On the stairs that lead to NowhereI’m staring into Nowhere
On the stairs that lead to Nowhere ~Lydia Lunch, ’81

“Send us Hagel and we will make sure every American knows he is an anti-Semite” ~ senior Republican Senate aide

If Chuck Hagel is a real anti-Semite, would that make Barack Obama an anti-Semite if he nominates an unrepentant “anti-Semite” as Secretary of Defense?

Or the corollary. Given Barack Obama’s unblemished pro-Israel record, if he nominates Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense would that prove that Hagel is not really an anti-Semite after all?

Given that “the war over Hagel is [already] on”, nominating Hagel would be akin to declaring war on the Israel Lobby. Going by his unblemished record of capitulation, Obama is therefore not likely to nominate Hagel. Oh well, is Dennis Ross still available?

We need to do everything in our power as citizens to promote Hagel’s nomination. Contacting Reps, the Pres, petitions with signatures in support of this nomination, letters to the editors of our local papers. Push push push. Hagel would make a phenomenal Secretary of Defense. He would operate on facts and in the best interest of the US and in many ways Israel based on the 67 border. He would be more of a REAL FRIEND to Israel by letting them know they are on a self destructive path ultimately.

I just have to say that this is an utterly ridiculous comment. With Hagel in this post, USFP will go on its violent and merry way, as always. You live in an absolute fantasy world, and that’s really too bad. And by the way, he will not “stand up” to Israel; no way. It’s just nonsense, and a complete distraction.

Is that what you are hoping that Hagel would not “stand up” to Israel. He all ready has. And all indications is that he would. Keep pushing for Hagel with your Reps, with Obama, writing letters to the editor stating why Hagel would be so great as the Secretary of Defense

By the way David Green if Hagel is just going to roll over and bark for the I lobby and Israel by militarily intervening in Iran the way Israel and the I lobby would like why would they start ripping him up as soon as they got wind of the potential nomination. If Hagel is just going to stand in line with Clinton etc and kiss Netanyahu’s ass on the continued expansion of the illegal settlements what is the fuss about Hagel that the I lobby is putting out? If there is no threat of Hagel basing US foreign policy and defense on facts then the I lobby would be just going along. But clearly that is not the case.

Folks let your Reps and Obama know there is plenty of support out here for Hagel’s nomination

If Hagel manages to get the job, it’s because he’ll shape up and get with the program. There is absolutely no reason to believe that he will do anything to rock the boat. One person can never make a difference. Only a wholesale movement against the USFP establishment can. That hasn’t happened since Vietnam. It won’t happen as the result of a “realist” fantasy, even if that’s the prevailing wisdom on MW.

David clearly if Hagel is Obama’s choice they are steering a new course. The I lobby and Israel are going to pull out all of the stops. As if they ever had any stops. Hope we find out what kind of strings Schumer, Wasserman Schultz will be pulling. Both devoted Israeli firsters. Both put Israel’s security in front of US national security. Lieberman will go after Hagel tooth and nail from outside the Senate.

David still have not answered my question to you. So if Hagel is not a threat to the I lobby and Israel because of his rational thinking about these issues based on facts why is the I lobby going ape shit over his possible nomination? If there is nothing to fear in their eyes why this response? Bloody Bill Kristol has this issue on his front cover. If Hagel would just fall in line as you have presented then there is nothing to worry about.

Folks contact Obama and your Reps, news outlets, national radio and TV talk shows (Cspan) and voice your support for Hagel’s nomination and why.

KATHLEEN- “David clearly if Hagel is Obama’s choice they are steering a new course.”

Suggest that you ignore the chattering on the bridge and keep your eye on the compass before you conclude that Obama is steering a new course. So far, all that I see is the Obama administration implementing the neocon game plan in the Middle East while implementing neoliberal structural adjustment in the US. And since when did Chuck Hagel turn into Dennis Kucinich? Finally, how exactly does your idea of “US national security” differ from imperial conquest and geostrategic power seeking?

I agree that National Security has worrying, aggressive overtones but I think that Kathleen means, non-shamefully, that some people put Israel’s idea of security, where the aggressive overtones ring especially loud, ahead of the reasonable objective of actually protecting the United States. I that the appointment of this non-standard scion of the American right to the top military policy job would be a signal of ‘no war with Iran’, confirming many already given. That’s much better than the opposite. He wouldn’t be in charge of diplomacy, though, and I’m not sure that we see any sign or signal from Obama that a new diplomatic effort in the ME is beginning. Maybe, but we’ve been through some false dawns before.

You know, Dave, it’s staggering, and sort of frightening, that the US can have a policy of rampant militarism without forced conscription!
Terrifying. If they at least needed to draft American kids to meet their fodder needs, I might have some hope.

If Hagel is nominated his credibility will be questioned concerning issues not related to Israel. Zionists are usually careful about keeping their Israel-first agenda mostly hidden from view. If he is nominated I’ll count it as a definitive statement from Obama about our chances of going to war with Iran.

● MY COMMENT: The pro-Israel lobby has absolutely no compunction about doing something that weakens the American political system as long as they see it as being to Israel’s benefit (even if only to Israel’s benefit in the short run)!
Consider, for instance, the defeat of Sen. Chuck Percy (R-IL) with the help of AIPAC (and California bingo magnate Irving Moskowitz) back in 1984. Now we have the likes of Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) in place of Percy.

It was fun while it lasted. But Hagel is not going to be SOS, it looks like it will be Kerry. In any case the reaction of the Lobby to even the possibility that it might be Hagel is instructive. This trial balloon has flushed out many of the Zionists forces that live inside the American FP establishment. We should accept this as another educational moment. They are one vicious bunch of partisans and they are not American.

Not only “don’t write him off” Do everything in your power to support his nomination. Calls to the White House in support to Reps in support of their votes if he is nominated, local newspapers, national radio and TV shows. Call in talk about this potential nomination. Send them to this site and encourage the audience to call contact Obama and their Reps. Pressure for his nomination.

Well I still want to know what Senate aide told the Weekly Standard they would drag Hagel out and show him as a anti semite.
I am betting it came from Sen. Mark Kirk office. Kirk as of Nov. still hadn’t returned to work in the Senate, his office says he ‘may return in Jan. of 2013.
So meanwhile his staff is running his office…or bascially we’ve had AIPAC and a unelected AIPAC stooge running a US Senate office…as if Kirk wasn’t bad enough himself.

Annie did a little expose on Kirk’s AIPAC office staff and Goldberg and Igor some while ago….showing their links to the Weekly Standard and AEI.link to mondoweiss.net

My money’s on Goldberg or Igor the Russian being the one who emailed that threat on calling Hagel an anti semite to the Weekly Standard. I think I will call Kirk’s office and tell them I heard Goldberg was slandering Hagel and ask them what they have on him that proves he’s a anti semite…lol they will probably hang the phone up on me but I have this neat phone system that can record all my calls so at least I will get the …”Click”…..which I can say I took as a non denial.

Love it. Will call tomorrow and do the same thing. We all need to be calling, contacting our Reps in support of Hagel. Contacting Obama and encouraging him to nominate Hagel. linking this information about the war on Hagel other sites and encouraging others to contact their Reps, Obama etc in support of Hagel’s nomination.

Obama is really flushing out the Israeli firsters. More and more exposure. Wonder if Chris Matthews will keep kissing Bill Kristols, Podheretz’s collective asses? Which he has been doing a lot lately.

“The Hagel Thesis” over at Weekly Standard by Bill Kristol. Unable to link
Calls Mearsheimer an “Israel hater” Kristol is a psychopathic warmonger. Does not get blood on his hands but will do everything in his power to send your children off to unnecessary and illegal wars.

How I detest such as Bill Kristol, he of the ever-mounted grin, ever eager and willing to shed the blood of others, always so very neat and well groomed, no doubt his underarms well sprayed, as he pushes for death and encourages any outrage Israel might wish to effect.

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